It's not a mistake, and it's definitely not filler! Sometimes, those repetitions are there to teach us something profound about the people and stories within. to one such instance in Bamidbar Rabbah, specifically section 3, where we're looking at the families of the Levites.
We start with a seemingly redundant verse: “For Gershon, the family of the Livnites [and the Shimites]” (Numbers 3:21). The text asks, why repeat their families? Weren't they already mentioned? Bamidbar Rabbah explains that this repetition is crucial. It's there to emphasize that all the sons of Gershon, Kehat, and Merari established families. this way: earlier in Numbers (3:2-4), we read about Aaron's sons, but only two of them, Elazar and Itamar, actually established families because Nadav and Avihu tragically died. So, the Torah wants to make it crystal clear that, despite the potential for loss and tragedy, all the sons of the Levites did indeed establish families. The text emphasizes that they were all righteous.
The children of Levi are beloved! And the text emphasizes that the Holy One, blessed be He, took a personal interest in each of their families, meticulously detailing their numbers, their locations around the Tabernacle, their leaders, and their specific duties in the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. We see this pattern repeated for each of the Levitical families.
For the Gershonites, we get their number: “The number of all males counted…[were seven thousand five hundred]” (Numbers 3:22). Their location: “The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the Tabernacle to the west” (Numbers 3:23). Their prince: “The prince of the patrilineal house [of the Gershonites] was Elyasaf [son of Lael]” (Numbers 3:24). And their service: “The commission of the sons of Gershon.… and the hangings of the courtyard…” (Numbers 3:25–26).
The same level of detail is then applied to the sons of Kehat. “For Kehat, the family of the Amramites, [and the family of the Yitzharites, and the family of the Hevronites, and the family of the Uzielites]” (Numbers 3:27) – again, to emphasize that all of them established families. Their number is given, and something extra is added: “keepers of the commission of the sacred” (Numbers 3:28).
Now, this is interesting. Why specify that the sons of Kehat are "keepers of the commission of the sacred" from one month old, when they don't actually serve until they're thirty? Bamidbar Rabbah explains that because the Ark, the holiest object, would purge from the sons of Kehat and potentially shorten their lives if they acted improperly while carrying it. Yet, despite this danger, their devotion to the sacred was so strong that they eagerly sought to be near it. So, they were rewarded as if they had been serving from the tender age of one month. The text even connects this to Samuel the Ramatite, a descendant of Kehat, saying "Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life" (I (Samuel 7:1)5).
Two princes are specified for the sons of Kehat: Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, and the prince of the Kehatites, Elitzafan. Why two? Because both priests and Levites came from Kehat. Moses and Aaron emerged from Amram; Moses’s sons were Levites, and Aaron’s sons were priests. Elazar, being a priest, oversaw the Levites from the sons of Kehat and even participated in carrying some of the sacred items.
Finally, we get to the sons of Merari. “For Merari, the family of the Maḥlites [and the family of the Mushites]” (Numbers 3:33) – again, the point is made: all of them established families. Their number is listed, their prince is named, their location is specified, and their service in the Tabernacle is defined.
So, what's the takeaway here? This passage in Bamidbar Rabbah isn't just a dry enumeration of names and numbers. It's a testament to the enduring nature of family, the importance of devotion, and the meticulous care with which the Divine oversees even the smallest details of our lives. It reminds us that every single person, every single family, has a role to play in the grand tapestry of existence. And sometimes, repetition is the key to truly understanding the profound message woven within.
“For Gershon, the family of the Livnites [and the Shimites]” (Numbers 3:21) – why was it necessary to repeat their families; were they not stated above? Why did the verse need this? Because it says: “These are the sons of Aaron: the firstborn [Nadav, and Avihu, Elazar, and Itamar].… Nadav [and Avihu] died…” (Numbers 3:2–4) – although Aaron had four sons, only the two, Elazar and Itamar, established families; perhaps the same is true regarding the Levites. Although Gershon has two sons, Kehat four sons, and Merari two sons, perhaps not all of them established families. That is why the verse repeated when it came to enumerate the sons of Gershon, Kehat, and Merari. It specified that all their sons established families, as they were all righteous. The children of Levi are beloved, as the Omnipresent Himself dealt with each and every one of their families regarding their number, their location, their princes, and their service in the Tabernacle. The sons of Gershon, what does it say? “The number of all males counted…[were seven thousand five hundred]” (Numbers 3:22); thus the verse dealt in the number of the sons of Gershon. “The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the Tabernacle to the west” (Numbers 3:23) – that is their location. “The prince of the patrilineal house [of the Gershonites] was Elyasaf [son of Lael]” (Numbers 3:24) – that is their prince. “The commission of the sons of Gershon.… and the hangings of the courtyard…” (Numbers 3:25–26) – that is their service in the Tabernacle. Likewise, the verse counts the sons of Kehat. That is what is written: “For Kehat, the family of the Amramites, [and the family of the Yitzharites, and the family of the Hevronites, and the family of the Uzielites]” (Numbers 3:27) – the verse apprised regarding the sons of Kehat that all of them established families, and not one of them perished. “In number, all males, [from one month old and above, eight thousand and six hundred, keepers of the commission of the sacred]” (Numbers 3:28) – that is their number. Why did the verse specify regarding the number of sons of Kehat “keepers of the commission of the sacred,” which is not stated regarding the number of the sons of Gershon nor regarding the number of sons of Merari; were the sons of Kehat “keepers of the commission of the sacred” from one month old and above? After all, one was not eligible for service until he was thirty years old. Why did it do so? It is because the Ark would purge from the sons of Kehat and would diminish their number, as it would shorten their lives.27An improper action by somebody carrying the Ark could lead to his death. Nevertheless, due to their affection for the sacred, the sons of Kehat would run after it. That is why He accorded them a reward as though they entered to serve from one month old, as it is written regarding Samuel the Ramatite: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (I Samuel 7:15). He, too, was of the descendants of Kehat. “The families of the sons of Kehat shall encamp on the side of the Tabernacle to the south” (Numbers 3:29) – that is their place. “And the prince of the patrilineal house [of the families of the Kehatites was Elitzafan son of Uziel]” (Numbers 3:30) – that is their prince. “Their commission: the Ark, [the Table, the Candelabrum, the altars, the sacred vessels with which they would serve, the screen, and all its work]” (Numbers 3:31) – that is their service in the Tabernacle. “The prince of the princes of the Levites [was Elazar son of Aaron the priest, the charge over the keepers of the commission of the sacred]” (Numbers 3:32) – why did it specify two princes for the sons of Kehat? It is because priests and Levites emerged from Kehat. Moses and Aaron emerged from Amram; Moses’s sons were Levites, and Aaron’s sons were priests. That is why it specified Elazar, who was from the priests, and he was overseer of the Levites of the sons of Kehat, and he would carry some of the sacred service [items] with the sons of Kehat. That is what is written: “The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron [the priest, is the illuminating oil, the fragrant incense, the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil; the charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels]” (Numbers 4:16). Why did it not specify Itamar? After all, the commissions of the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari were entrusted to him. Why did it not enumerate him with them as a prince like it enumerated Elazar as a prince with the sons of Kehat? It is because Itamar did not participate in the service of the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari; that is why it did not enumerate him as a prince with them. However, Elazar participated in the burden of the sons of Kehat; that is why the verse enumerated him as a prince with them. “For Merari, the family of the Maḥlites [and the family of the Mushites]” (Numbers 3:33) – the verse counted the sons of Merari, as not one of them died and they established families. “The number of all males counted…[were six thousand two hundred]” (Numbers 3:34) – it apprised of their number. “The prince of the patrilineal house [of the families of Merari was Tzuriel son of Aviḥayil]…” (Numbers 3:35) – that is their prince. “They shall encamp on the side of the Tabernacle to the north” (Numbers 3:35) – that is their place. “The appointed commission of the sons of Merari…” (Numbers 3:36) – that is their service in the Tabernacle.
